Country page · Sub-Saharan Africa
If you were born in South Sudan
1 in 377 babies · 0.27% of births · about 356,181 a year
Right now, about 0.27% of the world's babies are born in South Sudan — 1 in 377, or roughly 356,181 a year and 976 a day. Life expectancy there is 57.7 years.
Why 1 in 8 billion is not a birth probability
How the 1 in 377 is calculated
This number is not based on population. It uses births: South Sudan has about 356,181 births a year, and the world has about 134,147,481. Divide one by the other and you get 0.27% — 1 in 377. Using population instead would understate young countries and overstate ageing ones, so every draw is weighted by births.
Population and births
South Sudan has 12,188,788 people — 0.15% of the 8,185,260,817 people in this 172-country group, ranking 80th of 172 by population. Its 356,181 births a year are 0.27% of the world's births, so its birth share is 1.78× its population share. A ratio below 1 usually means an older age structure than the group average; above 1 means younger. Population is the 2025 estimate; births use the latest birth rate (2024).
| Measure | Value | Share of world | World rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2025) | 12,188,788 | 0.15% | 80th of 172 |
| Births per year (2024) | 356,181 | 0.27% | 67th of 172 |
| Birth share ÷ population share | 1.78× | — | — |
How the population is changing
South Sudan is changing by 2.03% a year. About 356,181 babies are born and 119,706 people die each year, a natural change of +236.5K; net migration is +6.1K. Population density is 19 people per km². About 2.6M people live in cities. 38.0% of the population is under 15 and 3.1% is 65 or older.
| Measure | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Annual population growth | 2.03% | 2025 |
| Deaths per year | 119,706 | 2024 |
| Natural change (births − deaths) | +236,475 | 2024 |
| Net migration | +6,145 | 2025 |
| Population density | 19 /km² | 2024 |
| Urban population | 2,643,061 | 2025 |
| Age 0–14 | 38.0% | 2025 |
| Age 15–64 | 58.9% | 2025 |
| Age 65+ | 3.1% | 2025 |
Components use the latest available year for each series and may not add exactly to the published growth rate.
Median age and the 2050 outlook
South Sudan's median age is 18.7 years, against a world median of 30.9. The UN projects 25.0 years by 2050, 18,341,974 people (50.5% more than in 2025), and life expectancy at birth of 60.8 years (women 63.8, men 57.8).
| Year | Population (UN WPP 2024) |
|---|---|
| 1970 | 3,409,614 |
| 2000 | 6,032,268 |
| 2030 | 13,457,454 |
| 2050 | 18,341,974 |
Median age, 2050 population and 2050 life expectancy: UN WPP 2024. The population table above uses the World Bank snapshot; the projection table above uses UN WPP 2024.
Age structure in 2025
Male and female shares of the total population in South Sudan, by age group.
UN WPP 2024, 2025 estimate. Male and female shares are of the total population, so they add to 100%.
Life in South Sudan, in numbers
| Indicator | Value | Year | World rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy women 60.7 · men 54.8 | 57.7 years | 2024 | 169th highest of 172 countries |
| Chance of dying before 5 96.7 / 1,000 | 9.7% | 2024 | 166th lowest of 170 countries |
| Chance of dying before 1 71.9 / 1,000 | 7.2% | 2024 | 170th lowest of 170 countries |
| Mothers who die giving birth per 100,000 births | 692 | 2023 | 168th lowest of 170 countries |
| Children per woman | 3.79 | 2024 | 142nd lowest of 172 countries |
| Expected years of schooling | — | — | — |
| Tertiary enrollment | — | — | — |
| Income per person (PPP) GDP per capita, PPP | $1,155 | 2015 | 170th highest of 170 countries |
| Income inequality closer to 0 = more equal | 44.00 | 2016 | 23rd highest of 157 countries |
| People living in cities | 21.7% | 2025 | 168th highest of 172 countries |
| People working in farming | 63.8% | 2023 | 161st lowest of 171 countries |
| People using the internet | 6.7% | 2019 | 171st highest of 172 countries |
| Homicide per 100,000 people | 14.0 | 2012 | 137th lowest of 155 countries |
| Health costs paid out of pocket share of health spending | 27.1% | 2023 | 75th lowest of 168 countries |
| Adults living with HIV | 1.50% | 2024 | 26th highest of 142 countries |
| People who smoke | — | — | — |
Chance of reaching each age
Of 100 babies born in South Sudan, about 90.3% reach age 5 and 21.3% reach 80. The world averages are 96.5% and 48.3%.
| Age | This country | World |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 90.3% | 96.5% |
| 20 | 85.4% | 95.1% |
| 40 | 76.5% | 92.0% |
| 60 | 61.0% | 82.9% |
| 80 | 21.3% | 48.3% |
UN WPP 2024 life table, 2025, both sexes combined.
How to read these numbers
Income is shown in purchasing-power-parity dollars, so it compares what money buys locally rather than market exchange rates. The under-5 rate is the share of babies who die before their fifth birthday; the maternal mortality ratio is per 100,000 live births. A Gini index closer to 0 means a more equal income distribution, and a higher number means a more unequal one.
Each indicator uses the most recent year with a non-empty value, which can differ by country; the rank compares this country with the other 171 in the dataset, not with every country on Earth. Where a value is missing, the page shows a dash rather than an estimate. World and regional figures are weighted by population; the under-5 rate is weighted by births.
South Sudan compared with Sub-Saharan Africa
Missing data for South Sudan: Expected years of schooling. The table below shows the figures that are available; this page does not fill the gap with an estimate.
| Indicator | South Sudan | Sub-Saharan Africa | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy | 57.7 years old | 62.8 years old | 73.4 years old |
| Under-5 deaths | 9.7% | 7.1% | 3.8% |
| Income per person (PPP) | $1,155 | $5,782 | $25,560 |
| Expected schooling | — | 9.4 years | 12.5 years |
| People in cities | 21.7% | 44.7% | 57.8% |
What a life there looks like
Missing data for South Sudan: Expected years of schooling. The table above shows the figures that are available; this page does not fill the gap with an estimate.
If you play as someone born in South Sudan
The game draws South Sudan in about 1 of every 377 births. From there the life runs year by year: 57.7 years of life expectancy on average, a 9.7% chance of dying before five, and an income of about $1,155 per person. Choices move the odds; the starting statistics do not.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the odds of being born in South Sudan?
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Is South Sudan a good country to be born in, in the game?
Source: World Bank World Development Indicators, with UN World Population Prospects 2024 and UN IGME for births and mortality. Values are the most recent non-empty year for each indicator; the year is noted where it differs. Page updated Oct 25, 2026.